Progress!

Sorry for the lack of updates--I had to leave town unexpectedly.


The good News:
Baby Kiya is now 5 lbs 7 Oz's!! Can you believe she made it over the 5 pound mark! That gives us all such hope-doubling her birth weight!

Kiya has been in a crib for a couple of days now. That means she is breathing on her own, with no cannula, and is maintaining her body temperature. She has only had a couple of "A's&B's" since having the cannula removed. We are very excited about her progress! So, no more incubator.

Kiya only has one more tube. That is the tube going through her nose to her stomach. Incredibly, Kris was able to feed Kiya last week. This is monumental, as breathing, eating and swallowing all at the same time is a real hurdle for some babies. Kris just has the magic touch-she was able to get Kiya to feed orally on her first try. Everyone was super happy.

The doctor is happy with the results from Kiya's eye tests. Now that she is off the oxygen we are thrilled and relieved.


We just have a few more hurdles to overcome. They are back to tapping Kiya every day. The hope is that her brain will begin to absorb the surrounding fluid on its own-but Kiya is still working on that one. It was hard to go back to an everyday tap after they had started tapping her every other day.

Kiya has been too sleepy to try and orally feed again. They believe this is due to the pressure on her brain. Kiya has to stay awake while feeding because there is a fear of choking if she falls asleep.

It's great to see them dress Kiya in little outfits. It's a sign of all the progress she has made, but at the same time, a reminder of all the things Mom and Dad are missing out on not having Kiya home.

How thankful we are for the progress that Kiya has made. What a miracle she is. To see a little tiny baby fight that hard to get better is a constant reminder of the human spirit. Through all the tests, pokes, prods and discomforts her will to get healthy is unbelievable. She has a way of making you grateful for things you take for granted each day.

We all look forward to the day that we can kiss, hug and squish Kiya as much as we want. The only time that Kiya will feel a mattress when she gets home, is when she is having her little pants changed. There will be plenty of loving arms to comfort her and hands to attend to her smallest need.

That you again for all your love and support.

We love you Kiya!

Grandma S.